12/26/2010

The ability to create a unique look in your home is one which involves needs for design. Contrasting colors, textures and statements in each room make a difference with the overall atmosphere of your home. One of the areas of the home which offers innovation for decorators everywhere is in the kitchen. This room offers several capabilities of designs and looks, all which are able to provide a new type of fashion statement. The kitchen tile designs which are included in this provide the main look of the room which can be mixed and matched for a comfortable and luxurious style.

The kitchen tile designs are unique to any other room because of the ability to combine several patterns and designs in the same room. The kitchen uses tiles specifically because of the water and heat that is used in the room. Walls, carpet and other materials can easily become damaged with the kitchen. However, the tiles used can provide a different look while offering protection so the room doesn't become damaged.

When you are planning kitchen tile designs, you will want to include the counter and floors. Many also include a backsplash, which uses tiles through one part of the wall while allowing the rest to remain decorated with wall paintings or wall paper. These combined looks offer easier maintenance and a unique look to the room. The counter, floors and backsplash all have contrasting patterns, designs and colors; however, you will want to create a design that is able to show a room that is comfortable, open and inviting in your home.

When looking at kitchen tile designs, you will want to make sure that there isn't too much contrast with the patterns and looks. The patterns shouldn't move in opposing directions to each other, as this will create a conflict with the way the room looks. You will want to coordinate the colors as well. Even though each can have unique colors and patterns, these will need to compliment each other in the overall look of the room. You can then include modern, traditional or artistic looks to finish the overall style of your kitchen.

If you want to add style and the perfect look into your kitchen, then considering the way that the tiles are designed can help you to create the right fashion. The Kitchen Tile Designs that are available can assist you with the practicality needed for the kitchen while ensuring that you have a style that fits with the personality of this room.

When decorating the kitchen, wallpaper borders are an essential element in setting the atmosphere of the room. The pattern of wallpaper that you use to complete your room will depend on your personal style. Whether your style is cozy, fun, formal, or luxurious, if you are creative about the way you use and install these wallpapers, your room will be a one of a kind creation.

The first thing you can do to make your wallpaper border unique is to combine your wallpaper borders. You can hang two or three coordinating wallpaper borders together. You might even consider using borders that contrast with each other. For example, you can start with realistic wallpaper that depicts items on a shelf or hanging pots and pans. Directly below that you can put a thin wood trim that would cause one to think there is actually a shelf there, and then below that, you can put up sculpted ivy wallpaper that butts against the faux shelf.

There is no rule that says you have to hang your wallpaper around the top of the room against the ceiling. It is your kitchen. You make the rules! You can use one or more patterns of wallpaper border to create a frame on a large wall which you can hang a collage, a large framed picture, or a grouping of pictures. You can also hang wallpaper at different heights. You may have seen wallpaper used at chair rail height around the room, with or without molding, but you can also use it around the baseboard of the room. The wallpaper does not have to be “kitchen” wallpaper either. You can install a picket fence design, or underwater scene that you would typically see in a child’s bedroom. These children’s room borders may be as wide as three or four feet. Doing such unexpected things with wallpaper border will help to make your room stand out from the crowd.

Do you hate wallpaper borders that repeat the same picture all the way around the room? Have your border tell a story. Use a combination of wallpaper cutouts and hand painted words to create a unique border that welcomes your friends and tells them to make themselves comfortable. Another option is to not have the wallpaper go all around the room. Cut the wallpaper border apart and use it in sections and groupings to decorate over windows and doorways and appliances. You can choose to use the border on an accent wall only. You can also put borders that feature seed packets or fruit in picture frames and hang them on the wall. When you are choosing your wallpaper rolls, remember to think creatively about the different ways you can use them.

Do not forget, room borders do not need to be wallpaper. You can choose to create a stenciled design, or to decoupage pictures onto your wall where you would typically put wallpaper. You can paint directly on the wall, or you can paint on strips of canvas and have that installed with heavy-duty wallpaper paste, which you can take down and save at any time. In addition, stamps and rub on designs may also be used to accent your room. Using any of these ideas alone or together will be sure to make your kitchen design truly unique.

Small changes can have a big effect on how your kitchen looks. Below are 11 decorating ideas that you can do yourself in a day or less. Not only are these simple changes easy to do, but they are inexpensive too!

1. Afraid of changing your drab white kitchen walls? Instead of choosing rich, deep colors for your first project, you will likely feel more comfortable with a neutral like beige or gray. These colors won’t date the room and will prevent you from possibly getting quickly tired of a more drastic color palette.

2. Brighten up the kitchen. Use mirrors to capture the sunlight and bounce it around. Try putting a mirror across from a window or on a wall that corners against the window wall for the most light distribution.

3. Make seasonal changes. Moving the kitchen furniture into a ’summer arrangement’ can optimize your space and give it a more airy feel. Make it light and breezy - think about removing some of the furniture and decorations for a lighter feel. Open those curtains and let the sun shine in!

4. Use slipcovers. Slipcovers over your chairs can soften the room and add to your decor. For the holidays, try using special covers in holiday patters or colors. For a nice summer change, use white cotton or canvas slipcovers on the chairs.

5. Get ideas from the pros. Look in magazines, books, television or the internet to get a flavor of the accessories and designs you would like to see in your kitchen. If you see a kitchen decorated in a way that you like, think about how you can duplicate the same decor in your home.

6. Decorate with cookbooks. You can make a nice display with your cookbooks. Try grouping them in interesting configurations with some lying down and some standing. Don’t put small books next to tall books but align them in graduating sizes.

7. Warm it up with rugs. Area rugs can add a splash of color or cover up an old or unmatched floor. When buying rugs, measure your space so you can be sure to get the right rug size. Rugs used under a table should be large enough to also accommodate the chairs when fully pulled out.

8. Bring the outdoors inside. Don’t be afraid to hang plants from any bare ceiling corner to give a lived in feeling to a plain kitchen. Plants provide interest and soften up the room. For above the cabinets or hard to reach places, silk plants work just as well as real ones, however, if you do buy silk, go with a good quality arrangement that looks realistic.

9. Change your look with accessories. A few strategically placed accessories can change your kitchen from dull to dramatic! Choose a theme and you could give your kitchen a whole new look just by replacing some key accessories like toaster covers, dish towels, canister sets, salt and pepper shakers and pot holders.

10. Change your cabinet pulls. There are so many different styles of cabinet pulls these days - figural, wooden, ceramic, glass - you should be able to find a design that matches your new decor easily. They are easy to install yourself and your friends will think you got new cabinets!

11. Add a border. Wallpaper borders are easy to put up and can add color and interest. You can use them at the top of the wall or go with a less traditional use underneath the cabinets. Use them at chair rail height to break up long walls. An even less expensive (but more labor intensive) alternative is to use stencils and paint.

12/22/2010

A kitchen is the heart of a home, for there the family gathers. And kitchen decor can turn your kitchen into a fun place to cook, hang out, and gather cherished memories. Here are a few kitchen decor ideas to add quaint beauty to your kitchen and inspire your creative side.

Rooster kitchen decorRooster kitchen decor is filled with happy hues and a playful spirit. From French country kitchens to rural or pastoral kitchens, rooster kitchen decor is a beautiful addition. And not only in curtains and tablecloths. The endless variety of rooster kitchen decor on the market allows you to weave these whimsical elements into your existing kitchen decor without clashing with it. From rooster clocks to cutting boards and weathervanes, there's something for everyone in rooster kitchen decor.

Sunflower Kitchen DecorIf you love decorating with light, sunflower Kitchen decor will brighten your kitchen even more. With motifs of summer and birds, bright greens and yellows, sunshine and warmth, sunflower kitchen decor creates a never-ending summer. Turn your kitchen into a warm gathering space, where you'll spend happy afternoons with your family and close friends. A sunflower kitchen is a fun place to cook in and share memories.

Worldwide Kitchen DecorKitchen decor styles are as wide as human experience. Like a map of the world, there's a kitchen decor style for every country, every culture. For in the kitchen the family gathers, and so it is there that the heart of a home lies. So which kitchen decor is your favorite? Take a short jaunt around the world to find out.

Kitchen decor upgrades can be fun and affordable if you're willing to do a little of the work yourself. Giving your kitchen a face lift by painting old appliances with stainless steel custom paint is easy, and your AdChoices old appliances will look modern. Adding a mantle shelf over a window is another easy kitchen upgrade, as is changing old light fixtures to imitation Tiffany stained-glass lights. Finally, painting old cabinets is an easy kitchen decor upgrade that can be done in one afternoon. For a complete kitchen decor face lift at a fraction of the cost of buying a new kitchen, consider these easy kitchen decor upgrades.